Four Falls Street homeowners complained to city council after bylaw officers told them to reduce the height of their hedges.
The residents were upset that they were being told to comply with the 4-foot hedge height limit by April 10th or face a $200 fine
Bylaw Services Manager Mark Zenko says the fine is only a worst case scenario, and bylaw officials want to help homeowners come into compliance with city standards.
“Enforcement is always our last resort,” he said. “We always want to work with homeowners to get compliance. Direction from Council is to apply the law as written, then eventually a fine may be appropriate.”
Zenko said if homeowners agree to slowly bring down the height of their hedge over a period of a few years in order to not harm the plant, that would be an acceptable plan.
Fence and hedge height rules were set decades ago, and City Council has halted ticketing while they study the issue.
I am one of those residents on Falls St. that was sent a bylaw violation notification and I want clarify, everyone on Falls St. with a fence or hedge more than 4 ft. was sent a notice not just 4 residence.
Two residents felt so intimidated by the bylaw officer that they cut their hedges down, one of the residents who is a very nice elderly lady actually had to cash in RRSP money to hire a tree trimming service come and cut her hedge that has been there for over 20 years.